Roar VBS: Tin Can Shaker Drums
These tin can shaker drums are a frugal craft that are sure to delight kids of all ages! Did you see our egg shaker instruments a few weeks ago? Those were fun, but I had a difficult time getting the duct tape to lay flat along the egg (plus they weren’t super loud). These tin can shaker drums are easier to wrap with duct tape, and let me tell you – they make a JOYFUL NOISE (and a loud one at that)!
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Supplies:
-Empty, clean tin cans
–Spray paint
-Filler item to make shaker drum noisy (pony beads, perler beads, seed beads, rice, beans, etc)
–Wax paper
–Scissors
–Duct tape
–Permanent markers
-Optional: faith pencils or safari pencils
-Optional: decorating accents (VBS stickers, faith stickers, washi tape, etc)
Instructions:
-Before VBS: If there are any rough/sharp edges along the top of the can, I’d suggest putting a coat of cheap duct tape along the top rim before you do anything else. Spray paint the outside of the tin cans (flip them upside down to paint). I sprayed two coats on mine to make sure I didn’t miss any spots. Make sure you shake the spray paint really well or it won’t apply smoothly!
-At VBS: Instruct kids to put a handful of noisemakers in their tin can. We used random beads and I LOVE the way they sound (you could also use pony beads, perler beads, seed beads, rice, beans, etc)! If you’re planning to give these away through Operation Christmas Child or other ministries, you should avoid using food products as your noise making filler item.
-Trace the bottom of the tin can on a sheet of wax paper (for extra durability, use two layers of wax paper). It’s okay if the wax paper is a little larger than the tin can or not a perfect circle!
-Cut out the round piece(s) of wax paper. Lay them on top of the can (over the opening), then use strips of duct tape to fully cover the opening. Try not to have more than an inch or so of duct tape down the side of the can. (I’d put 2-3 layers of duct tape over the opening. After my toddler tested out my samples, I’m more confident in the longevity of the shaker drum with two layers of duct tape instead of just one.)
-Lay the tin can on its side. Cut a long strip of duct tape and wrap it around the top edge of the can. The purpose of this strip is to reinforce the top layer and hide the uneven ends. (I found it was easier to smoothly wrap the duct tape around the can when it was cut in a strip rather than being attached to the roll.)
-Make sure each kiddo writes their name somewhere on their shaker drum!
-Depending on how much time you have available, kids can use a variety of craft supplies to decorate their shaker drums (VBS stickers, faith stickers, washi tape, etc)!
-I wasn’t originally planning to include “drum sticks” (aka faith pencils or safari pencils) with these shakers. However, when my toddler tested them she loved the unique sound created by drumming on the duct taped end of the shaker! I’m thinking I’ll let the kids take home two pencils with their shaker drum! (What kid isn’t always in need of more pencils, anyway?!)
This is a quick craft, so your kids may have time to make more than one shaker drum instrument if this is your only craft/Imagination Station activity for the evening. We often have our kids make one item to keep, then a second one to pack in our Operation Christmas Child shoeboxes.
I am a long-time Vacation Bible School lover. I’ve lead in several capacities throughout the VBS world and am currently our church’s VBS director. It is a joy for me to be able to share VBS ideas and resources with others! Follow BorrowedBlessings to see more of our ideas and planning!